


Reunions are... interesting if you’re a Todd

by crazyjc



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alix protects, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bruce Wayne is So Done, Bruce Wayne is Trying, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Bruce and Batman are mentioned, Bustier salt, CONSEQUENCES FOR ACTIONS!, Caline Bustier Bashing, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Chloé Bourgeois is Good, Clark makes a cameo, Class Trip, Daily Planet, Dick Grayson in chapter 2, F/M, Good Friend Alya Césaire, Good Parent Alfred Pennyworth, HEADS UP there is mentioned suicides and implied abuse of street kids, Kim is protective, Lila salt, Marinette Dupain Cheng is badass, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is a Mess, Marinette is a self-sacrificing idiot, Tim Drake in chapter 2, a pinch of damocles salt, adrien is oblivious, class sugar, marinette is from gotham, marinette is in therapy, so is this one, technically Hawkmoth exists but is defeated off screen, that tag is needed, trip to metropolis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:35:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22920343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyjc/pseuds/crazyjc
Summary: Alright, this is based on laraceleste's Tell Me More where Jason Todd is Marinette’s big brother with one exception—Marinette didn’t know where Jason was after she was adopted until after he died when she was ten. They were apart for three years here, as GCPD got her at 7.Marinette had to cut her home city out of her life once she lost her brother for the second time. Her classmates knew not to mention it. Then one Liar forces it to the front and hell breaks lose.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain Cheng & Jason Todd, Marinette Dupain Cheng | Ladybug & Jason Todd | Red Hood, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne, platonic jasonette
Comments: 38
Kudos: 1571





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> from tumblr, cleaned up, first chapter is platonic jasonette centric, chapter 2 is for daminette shippers

There was a pact between the four kids in class that had known Marinette since she moved to Paris from Gotham. It was for one reason only: to stop their (ridiculous) bubbly, too-wide grinning classmate that had trouble speaking French, babbled in English when she was anxious (and when wasn't she anxious?) class mate from ever looking like _that_ again.

From having not-quite haunted eye but with a longing none of them could comprehend when she spoke of Gotham and the streets she grew up in. Of a city with a red sky, killer clowns and a goth furry struggling to keep crime at bay and failing to solve all the issues but doing more than others, so no one held it against him. How could they? Of the city where she dodged child protective services with her big brother, Jason, that had a big grin and bright eyes who protected her at all costs from the dangers of the streets and the horrors of GCPS. She never spoke much of those, curling in on herself when someone asked beyond "sometimes... sometimes death is better than getting caught" and causing more than a few teachers and counselors to try and pry information out of her.

She never budged. Whispered that "snitches get stitches" if they were lucky and "sleep with fishes" if there weren't as lucky, and if they were very unlucky "no one sees you, but parts of you on other people." 

She was mostly fine, always missing her brother until the day she was called into the office and that bubbly, anxious, too wide grin was all gone. It was shaking and sobs and blank stares for months. She missed school for a few weeks because of one thing: the GCPS lied.

They knew where her brother was. For three years he was with the Waynes, told she was dead. When he found out she wasn't, but her file was closed, he ran. He died running away from the Waynes. Killed publicly by Joker. All while trying to find out what happened to her.

The class only knew her brother was purposely kept from her, her parents were lied to about GCPS not knowing where he was, and that now he was dead. Her brother with the too wide grin, that loved her so much, that protected her from everything, was dead.

His adoptive father was some big deal rich guy that let him die.

It made them sick.

Chloe stopped bullying the girl once she changed. Suddenly Gotham was all but illegal to say anywhere Marinette was. Chloe made certain that anyone close to violating it dealt with the Paris police going through their records with a fine tooth comb. She may not like Marinette personally, may think the girl is dumb for not speaking French right, was off for being raised on the streets but this? This broken doll state she wouldn't stand. Not when she could ensure it never returned on her watch.

Alix distracted her with history, art, anything she could think of. Broke into Marinette’s house during her catatonic weeks and saw the worst it. She had to be pried from the girl's room many times when Marinette couldn't speak, couldn't think, couldn't eat. She made her eat, told her about classes and joked about Marinette needing to work on her stitches so she doesn't forget how to do them. Got her knitting needles and thread and yearn and whatever she could to get something of Marinette back into the girl. Her efforts slowly paid off. Marinette's parents still thanked Alix for reviving Marinette to this day. She didn't accept the thanks though--Marinette was her friend and the only one that understood her need to create. Why would she let her friend suffer when she could drag her back into a better state of mind?

Kim kept challenging Marinette, to anything to keep her from thinking about it. Of losing her big brother. Of being deceived when she knew better. Banners were a favorite of hers to make, quick and little thought, so the races and sports he already liked grew to serve more than one purpose, and he soon had a regular cheerleader at his meets and competitions that others teased him about. And if someone tried to make fun of her for not knowing what to say, he may have gotten into a few fights. The coach didn't mind, something about it building character?

He may have inadvertently become a second sibling to Marinette. He knew he was no replacement, but he refused to let her be on her own for long. She needed someone, and he could be that someone. Kim did always want a younger sibling, and his parents weren't able to have one so. Two birds, one stone.

Nino took to music mixes, random stories, anything he could think of to get Marinette to smile for a bit. He knew her smile, the one that lit up the room and made everything feel right. The sad eyes were wrong on her, a crime against the universe in his opinion. He made it his mission to stop that crime before it had a chance to occur. Whenever the teachers let him, he sat with her in class and made funny faces or commented on her attempts at designing fashion. Sometimes this meant losing his hat and testing her attempts at beanies (so not his style) but it helped her stay happy on her bad days and that. That was something he could live with doing for her.

The four made a pact after finding out—no one mentions Gotham or her biological family’s history or even asks about her having siblings. They would block all of these questions how they could, as it was just… wrong to see her look like that. Empty. 

It helped that news traveled fast. Most were quick to understand these new rules. 

Kim and Nino were the best at keeping up with the pact. They always ended up in her class and had the easiest time distracting her. Kim would issue a challenge, and need a banner. Nino had his headphones and a new playlist at the ready in need of critiquing. Marinette loved music and was good at telling him were his playlists jumped too much.

Alix would sometimes find herself working with Marinette on an art project, and if Marinette began to get a blank face anytime she saw gargoyles, well, Alix already liked street art. Why not spray paint the gargoyles into something else? Depth perception art was high skill anyway, and saying it was a student art installation wasn't a complete lie... she was student and she edited the existing installment.

Chloe was needed the least. Only if a teacher tried to do a heritage project. Chloe would come down with her father and the entire idea would be taken out of the school’s curriculum to “pick a culture your family is from” and no one really questioned it. They survived like that for six years, with Marinette seeming to mostly heal from that wound. On the surface at least.

Then Liar Rossi appeared in Bustier’s class. The pact-group weren't close, so they didn't say it but something was very, very off.

Nino threw Marinette looks as yes, his crush was gone but she never went after someone like she did Lila. The girl was the first to welcome newcomers like Alya with more gusto than anyone else. Maybe because she still remembered her own freak out and culture shock. And he knew she didn’t hate anyone more than ‘cons, swindlers and drug dealers’.

He still remembered how his ex-crush took down one of the dealer three streets over trying to sell to a pregnant woman. Marinette didn’t report it—that was a mortified Nino calling Chloe and Sabrina since they’d know what to do when their tiny classmate threw a man to the ground, locked his arm behind him and told Kim to stay with the woman as she called her sober sponsor, shaking and crying the whole time.

Kim didn’t forget the time Marinette took him down when he grabbed her shoulder, throwing him over her shoulder with a wild look in her eyes not long after they first met. He didn’t forget how she kept giving him and the class a number of double takes when they all met her the first time in elementary school. How it took him asking to spar with her and for help with his clothes to get her to trust him as “now you can’t turn your back as easy” and felt his heart go out to her then.

Or that she hardened her eyes when one kid said he knew Batman so she should like him and get along with him.

And that she told the kid in perfect French while shaking with rage and a glare that threw everyone off as she was wary but so kind and gently smiled most of the time. Glares didn't suit her, nor did rage. But both were all he saw as she spoke. “Do not talk to me about Batman or Gotham ever again.”

Gotham was still never mentioned around her—Kim or Nino or Alix would cut off any attempts to bring it up. Or Batman. Somehow it extended into the Justice League. But looking back, he realized that saying things like that where Marinette grew up meant death. In her own way, she was trying to keep them all safe, and he didn't doubt that she was always in survival mode. He was glad she chose to protect their group, but he had no idea what to do with her rage at Lila. There had to be more to it, but she was good at secrets and bad at explaining. He had to wait to see what it was exactly about Lila that set off this side of Marinette, the one he was certain was fragments of her time on the streets. Maybe talking to Lila about the issue would clear it up, but he could never get a real word in edgewise. 

Kim and Nino had a feeling Marinette saw a con, and they both knew the girl was smarter at looking for things like that than them. She was primed for it, and maybe seeing things but maybe… Neither wanted to entertain the thought of being manipulated by a friend. Especially not one so many of their other friends and classmates and girlfriend (in Nino's case) readily accepted into the fold. 

Alix hadn’t forgotten how Marinette shook the day someone told her Jason Todd was just a stupid street kid that was better off dead. Alix threw the punch before Marinette did, took the detention and had Kim take Marinette to the gym to destroy a few punching bags. She didn't know how long Marinette cried after that, but she knew it was bad enough that when Alix found her she was shaking with rage again.

Marinette had that same shake when Lila said she was Ladybug’s best friend. She didn’t know what to make of it.

Chloe saw the liar as such on sight, and told Sabrina the girl was full of it. They both knew the mangy-cat was Ladybug’s best friend. Anyone saying otherwise was full of it. Sabrina was the one to point out the timelines didn't match one day. The pair were almost exiled by the class for that, but it was no different that usual for the pair. Except for how Marinette looked so... relieved at them when Chloe agreed with Sabrina.

Chloe still didn't like Marinette. Too perky, too shaky and quick to keep secrets with horrible lies to cover for absences lately for her taste. But she did know one thing: Marinette Dupain Cheng would never stand for cons, cheats, liars or drug dealers. It was a personal vendetta for the girl and Lila ticked at least one as a liar. She gladly awaited when the girl managed to destroy Lila Rossi's tower of lies--Marinette was too smart not to.

Chloe didn't care if the others listened to her. Sabrina, her best friend did. Adrien... he was different now and she didn't know what to do with that. He was close to the liar and Marinette and Kagami and it made Chloe sick to see him doing that. To see her childhood best friend make things worse when she knew he was much better than that. She decided Marinette needed to let Adrien go long ago, but this time, she hoped it was for herself.

* * *

Alya was enthusiastic about the liar, and it made sense. Alya didn’t know about where Marinette grew up or that she spotted cons and liars and the worst of the worst in ten words or less or about the times she acted to stop their kind. Marinette couldn't blame her.

Everyone knew she was adopted, and that you don’t ever ask about where she was from before unless you wanted Chloe, Alix, Kim or Nino to attack with a vengeance. She knew the four were keeping her safe... in their own way. She was grateful for it. It reminded her of how she and Jason were with some of the other street kids. You didn't have to like each other, only watch each other's backs for knives. And she was--Alya just didn't see it yet.

Alya knew Marinette was adopted, that she cut her old life out and refused to touch anything from before her adoption. She was curious but the way Marinette shut down the one time she asked and how her boyfriend whispered that that place all but broke Marinette—she didn’t ask. Marinette couldn't answer. Couldn't touch that word in the briefest ways without grief swallowing her. 

So she understood Alya's position.

Alya did think her girl was jealous over Lila being close to the heroes—especially with her former crush on a certain cat… which made sense with her not seeing Ladybug and Chat Noir as a couple. Marinette understood these things, but it still hurt. To not be believed when she was telling the truth.

It was the heritage project presentation that ended that era. That toppled Lila Rossi's tower of lies in the worst way possible for Marinette.

It didn't help that Miss Bustier forced her to speak on Gotham no matter how many times she pleaded to just do the project she had ready. On her Maman's side focusing on her Jewish heritage that Marinette adopted on her own. After all, you didn't need to believe in God to be Jewish, or see him as kind or benevolent. He could exist or not. Be a monster or gentle.

Marinette decided that day that God was an asshole for putting her in that position.

"Dad died left when I was five. Mom was sick and died when I was six." Keep it as sanitized as possible, she hated pity. "My brother, Jason," she felt something break in her. "He was six years older than me. He took care of me and kept me away from Crime Alley and the men that always left kids looking off." She didn't hear the sharp intakes of breath. "He made sure there was always food where we stayed and made sure I ate something everyday."

Her mind reeled with too many times her brother skipped meals and came home bruised with a wide grin while ruffling her hair because "my lucky Pixie stayed safe, that's how I knew I'd come back safe." 

"He always got me out the homes before it got dark." Dark meant no rules. Dark meant no one looked. Dark meant dangerous in unknown homes. It meant too many things that she knew older kids killed themselves because of. 

"He kept me safe when everyone else would have let me die." She knew she said it in English. She knew she slipped and missed how Adrien almost fell out of his seat because how do you react to that?

"GCPD stole me." She was safe. She was in a good hideout with a few other street kids that took care of each other. Caught in a raid while Jason said he was going to get the group food money. She never knew if he managed that before or after GCPD or Bruce Wayne found and stole him too. "They kept me from Jason." Saying his name hurt, so, so much. 

"They sent me here before it was even a day and then kept me from my brother." She felt the tears building. But the words demanded to be said. "They lied about not finding him. They lied to him about me being dead. They kept lying and when he found out he--" her voice broke. "He went looking for me and Joker killed him on TV."

She shook as she said the next part. "Gotham and the GCPD killed my brother. That's my report on my heritage."

She put her flashcards down. She, she needed to go, somewhere, somewhere safe. Where she could fall apart for a bit. Then put it all back in and pretend it didn't hurt again. To get away from the pity she felt radiating from the class.

"I have to go. Excuse me." She ran like she was Pixie again, faster than everyone else and just out of reach.

* * *

Alya hadn’t know what to do with the Marinette that finally opened up about where she grew up before she was adopted. The words that fell out of her mouth made the girl sick.

Marinette was the sole survivor of her family, watched them die, and Lila made the girl relive that. And Alya saw the girl’s smirk and their teacher trying to get Marinette acting as a "role model" over something that was clearly traumatic. She may not know a lot about these things, but she did know one thing: this qualified as some kind of crime and she doubted Marinette was the first this happened to. 

Alya would make sure her girl was the last while she tore their teacher and Lila a new one with the class.

Alya missed one of her classmates run after Marinette. 

* * *

Marinette broke down crying when she got away. Lila and Bustier forced her to talk about her Before—the part of her life she threw away because Gotham never gave a damn about her or Jason. The part she buried when she found out he was gone.

This part of Paris always reminded her of him, Jason, her dead brother. The one that GCPS kept her from finding after they caught her for the fifth time. The one that her new parents tried to find from France. The one who died as a ward of none other than Gotham Playboy Billionaire, Bruce Wayne.

Never as a son, always a ward.

Who he then replaced with Tim Drake if the bits of Gotham news that made it through the filters was anything to go by.

She didn’t see the black butterfly that went for her. She just knew it didn’t make it close enough to her.

Alix took the hit. Became an akuma that she couldn’t remember the name of because this akuma refused to touch a crying Marinette at first. THe akuma that slunk away swearing vengence.

She did remember Kim and Chloe of all people finding her. Kim carried her to school while Chloe murmured soothing things that made her distantly wonder if Chloe was getting ready to hurt her. Pity was always a tool to make someone indebted to you, the parts of her she tried to rebury whispered. She knew they had to be right and she hated it.

The akuma held Lila and Bustier hostage while demanding Marinette be present for the pair’s end.

Chat Noir was fighting on his own.

Marinette tried to get out of Kim’s grip but couldn’t. She had to help her partner but she couldn't get out and it was going to be another person she lost and it was all her fault. ~~Jason would be alive if it wasn't for her. Chat would die because of her.~~

She didn’t remember much about the akuma, just that this one brushed away her tears and told her, “These are only the first that will pay for his death.”

She remembered absently grabbing what must be the akumatized object, breaking it and wanting this all to end. Chat Noir crushed the akuma in his hand.

That week she went into grief counseling. The whole class demanded it. Stuck with her whenever she left home--always had an escort everywhere. Someone would always be ready to distract or listen or offer how to help her move forward and she just. Hated it. Being treated like something broken. She wasn't whole but she wasn't missing parts, just... empty with loss.

She never told them her old last name, or what her brother’s was. They all knew it could send her off the deep end of grief. And somehow the pack between the four had grown into a class pact to help her heal and attack anyone that mentioned a potential trigger with a vengence.

She hated the class treating her like shattered glass.

She did note that Alya was doing an in-depth deep-dive investigation on the school after purging the Ladyblog of Lila and posting a number of redactions.

Alya’s hard work and persecution of Bustier and Damocles resulted in international attention on the class.

Apparently they were all involved in some way. Marinette’s extensive notes on what Bustier asked of her (rules to work within, she did best with lists and knowing the rules. Knowing what rules you were playing by kept you alive in Gotham.) and apparently there were a number of violations in that alone.

Apparently the case of a class suing a teacher and principal for gross incompetence, negligence, and abuse to current and former students landed them a trip to Metropolis. Not Gotham—god she knew her classmates would die there—but Metropolis. To the Daily Planet, so the class could get a better look at investigative journalism.

Alya was so excited and it made Marinette smile. Her group was doing better... still tolerating the liar's pressence but not believing her anymore. Not being naive and trusting without reason to trust and checking for the truth. It was... it was good. They were learning. The world isn't so gentle but that didn't mean they had to stop being kind.

Jason would want her to be kind. So she tried. Even when it hurt.

Somehow before going Chloe found out her old name was Mary instead of Marinette, testing it out. Marinette didn’t know how much she missed hearing it. How much being called Marinette grated on her until she heard her name for the first time in almost a decade. It felt alien and home at once.

The class must have picked up on it. They all refused to call her anything but variants of Mary on the plane. Marinette couldn’t stop laughing when one of the boys asked if they should call her “Bloody Mary” if she took down another asshole—clearly referencing the dealer she may or may not have pinned once in front of Kim and Nino.

They didn't know about the other ones.

Sabrina and Chloe did. 

So did Chat, but that was as Ladybug. It was different behind a mask.

The girls took to calling her Mary-gold since they decided they loved the sound of it. She liked how the words felt in her mouth, how the shape of it felt warm and inviting. She wanted to be like that, but she wasn't, wasn't sure how. The girls were helping, modeling the behaviors she wanted to do and it made her feel better and vulnerable at once. 

They were gentle and not in the pity way now. It felt... nice? Like Jason and that hurt in the good way, she supposed.

Alya held her she teared up at the airport, letting her cry for a bit because god, it hurt. It hurt so much sometimes for no reason.

Kim later proposed Mare-bear given her well known cuddly teddy bear habit when she fell asleep on him during the flight. This was quickly agreed to by all as Kim’s exclusive nickname for her. Alya did pout about being denied its use, but Kim won in the end as "I am her human heater, I get an exclusive nickname. Make your own."

Adrien was the one to ask if he could call her Mae-Bae while they were waiting for their luggage in Metropolis.

Most of the girls squealed over it. They all knew she still had feelings for him and yes, more than a few were hoping for him and Kagami to end their relationship already. The rest of those wishing for the break up was so for adrienette would finally happen after their hard work in the early years. They knew Marinette had their life planned out, kids names and hamster and left Adrien's part so open for him to be what he wanted and yes. They would be perfect.

Chloe was of the opinion Kagami was too pushy for Adrien, which Sabrina agreed with. But neither of the two believed Adrien should be with Marinette, especially not her current state. They doubted Marinette would want to be in a relationship with him after the number of Lila incidents he stood by and seemed to almost beg her to keep silent during. The pair wasn't certain about what happened, and knew Adrien was trying to get away from his father and Lila but... Marinette had enough scars and wasn't the type to forgive or forget so easily.

Marinette was bright red and wanted it all to stop because she needed stability and Adrien always threw her around when he did things like that. She liked the nickname but not from him—not while he’s not with her like that and they both know he likes someone else and is probably dating Kagami seriously at this point and just… She can’t go there. She can't be his "Mae-bae" and she didn't have words then but thankfully someone did.

Kim decided to stand in between them on the way to the hotel. Why?

“He had his chance, and for godsake, he’s dating Kagami.”

Adrien was confused by Kim being well, acting like he was her older brother. And he didn’t see what was wrong with the personal nickname since Kim had one too. He missed the looks between the girls and how Marinette almost clung to Kim's side or how he was allowed to stay in her room with Alya for a bit while settling in because god she was shaking and why now? 

Kim ran a hand over her head and soothed her as best he could, rambling about sports and game stats and asking her about Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 combos she'd come up with lately and about her new designs before murmuring that dumb blondes need to stay in their lane and away from his Mare-bear.

It was a bittersweet for Marinette. She missed this from Jason. Jason was dead though and couldn’t. So Kim did what he couldn’t.

Alya decided with the girls that adrienette was off the table in their group chat on how to help Marinette after watching bits of Marinette and Kim's interaction. Whether the girl moved on or not, Marinette was clearly not looking at Adrien and someone would have to give the boy the memo.

Kim took on that job with glee. He's her stand in big brother. He wondered if Jason would threaten Adrien idly when he told the blond to give Marinette more space as "you're really not what she needs or wants right now. so stop flirting with my sister." 

He had a feeling he didn't make her real brother proud then. But he didn't need another citation for getting into a fight for Marinette. Yet. 

When the attack happened, all bets were off. 

–

Jason Todd kicked himself when he saw a photo of the class that got caught up in one of Luthor’s plans in Metropolis. Why?

Because he’d recognize his Pixie Pop anywhere. He may be Red Hood, he may not be worthy of talking to her, but he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. And Lex Luthor’s hair brained schemes? That was something he could punch and shoot. That was something he could stop. (Protect her from.)

He was there not long after Batman—apparently this battle needed all the help it could get. They didn’t try to stop him when he went to get the hostages out. He made a beeline for the class his sister was in--yes he kept tabs on her. And yes, he did know that she went through hell while he was gone and cursed the GCPS and may have taken old her old case worker. Not permanently, ( ~~she hated killers. he was a killer; she must hate him. He hated that fact.~~ ) but enough they'd have trouble walking for a while. She was supposed to get away from things like that, from the attacks and bad homes and assholes in power that think they can get away with anything.

He froze when he saw a boy calling his little sister “Mare-Bear” while rubbing her back as she was curled up in a ball, shaking and so, so tiny in the room with a hoodie that was way too big for her on her shoulders. Fuck. (W ~~ho is he. Why is he there? That's his job asshole)~~

Before he could say anything he was attacked by the group, his sister’s shaking gone and the boy and her quick to tackle him to the ground and restrain him with—ribbons? Ribbons. God, he almost forgot how smart she was. (" ~~Use whatever you can however you can think Jason, that's how you keep the monsters away, right?" "Right Pixie, now, this knot here...")~~

They were speaking French. God, his sister probably wouldn’t shouldn’t recognize him anyway but he thought he could at least talk to her and wait. He knew that look.

She was assessing a threat. He—he was the threat? ( ~~hes a killer. of course he's a threat. but not to her _never_ to her.)~~ A goon--him!

* * *

“Are you sure he’s not with them?” Kim asked, keeping the weirdo down.

“He's not in classic goon wear, and no one goes for easily recognizable when they’re playing goon,” Marinette did her best not to slip completely back into English. It was more for home or her stress rambles and right now she needed to be understood by less-than-fluent French kids. Focus. This isn't an akuma. No Ladybug or Cure to fix it all. Damage stuck. ~~Death stuck.~~

“Hey!” the man in the helmet turned to her, “kid, Red Hood.”

The group looked at her, Max and Chloe.

“I have no files on them.”

“No idea.” She didn't hear of any heroes like that in Metropolis. Just annoying blue boy scouts and their knock-offs.

“His name is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.”

“Gotham, ring a bell?”

The class froze. Marinette knew they were expecting her to break. She didn’t, she wouldn’t again like that. She was working through her grief in a healthy way this time. ~~With heroics and vigilantism too.~~

“Can’t say I have, stopped keeping up with it after the second Robin disappeared,” Marinette was shaking slightly. But she was the leader right now, she was in charge of getting her class out and maybe freeing other hostages. This was serious. ~~No cures or ladybugs to fix it. This wasn't as bad as Gotham but...~~

“Lets take out the others, get out of here and sort out whatever this,” Marinette gestured to Red Hood, “is later.”

Good, she kept her cool. Stay alert. Threats that are neutralized are not her problem.

* * *

Lila ended up with a gun to her head, by one of the obvious goons, demanding to know who organized their escape.

The class froze. No one looked at her and god she was glad they got that much. They didn't snitch. They understood she'd be lucky if it was only stitches this time. They were waiting for something.

She was the closest. But also more dangerous as the ‘smart hostage’. They’d isolate her from the others, but unlike the others, she knew how to handle these things. No one else could do this.

Was letting Lila live really worth it?

“Well, who is it!”

Everyone glanced at her, waited for her word. Shit. They messed up.

“I did.” Marinette stepped up, moving to one of the other goons. Better to fess up then be attacked because one of them had a functional braincell.

She didn’t know Red Hood was watching this from his hiding place with his heart in his throat.

“And who are you?” one of the good asked, glaring at her and oh, this would be trouble if more than one went with them. She hoped she was right that this one would drag her off alone.

“Pixie,” he hissed. He heard his comms crackled to life but he tuned out what was being said. He forgot he was on the old Bat channel.

"Red Hood, what's happening?"

He turned off the comm.

“Marinette." She took Lila’s place as hostage with a gun to their head.

The goon took her away from the group.

Red Hood couldn’t follow. He did the next best thing and took them out. His sister’s classmates helped.

* * *

Marinette managed to escape the hold with her head intact, and turned his gun onto him. She took out his kneecaps and made it out.

She wasn’t expecting for the class to be out already.

She was shaking for real now. Not the act her and Kim put up for the captors.

Kim and Nino stayed at her side while she translated their statements to the police, never once looking at the police. She still didn’t trust them—Gotham thing. They all knew she still reflexively didn't make eye-contact with police. Part of why she and Sabrina couldn't get along--Marinette can't handle being around cops, and Sabrina's did is a cop. 

Then the icing on the ‘what the hell’ cake of her day made an appearance.

“How are you kids holding up?” Bruce motherfucking Wayne approached the group.

Marinette stopped shaking. Fear? That vanished as rage decided to take over. All that ran through her mind was ‘he let my brother die.’

Kim knew her tells. “Would you mind leaving us alone sir?”

That caught everyone outside of their class off guard.

“Excuse me?”

“Marinette doesn’t do anything involving her old city after the grade A BS it put her through,” Alix gave him a plastered smile radiating danger. Good, her group understood that he was a threat. ~~A fake smile and a fake man who stole her very real brother and let her very real brother die.~~

“And you’re pretty important there,” Alya added, rubbing Marinette’s back. “So as much as I would love to talk with you, Mary-gold’s not going into another grief mess is more important.”

The ~~brotherkiller~~ man left. (Bruce left at that, but did talk to Clark Kent out of obvious view. she could see him from the mirrors. She marked Clark Kent as a possible sleeper threat and wondered how she should tell Alya one of her heroes wasn't what he seemed. She hated the thought of telling the girl but...the truth is never easy, right?)

They all missed Red Hood walking over to the group while they looked up the class and who “Mary” was.

“Hey, kid!” the class moved to surround Marinette when he approached, but allowed him in. They let him get close enough to be eye level when he kneeled. “Don’t volunteer to be isolated in situations like that. I’m pretty sure your family would hate losing a spitfire like you.”

Marinette fisted her hoodie, slipping into English in her current state. It was too much and her group was bad at English anyways. Well, Adrien wasn't but Kim was keeping him away so. “The first one’s already gone. I’d just be joining my brother.”

“Don’t,” he grabbed her arm, “don’t joke about that shit Pixie!”

Marinette froze. Only one person ever called her that.

Red realized his mistake when he saw her eyes get wide and tear up. “They said you were dead.”

He flinched under his helmet. “I was.”

The officers around them were doing double takes. The place was silent enough then for Bruce to see Red Hood—no, Jason, Jason kneeling before a brunette in pigtails around the age of Mary To—oh. Oh. OH.

He grabbed his phone, calling Tim. “What was Mary Todd’s new name?”

“Gimme a sec B… Marinette Dupain-Cheng, why?”

He hung up.

–

Red Hood knew it would get bad if he stayed. That he shouldn’t have talked to her. Stupid idea. He was so stupid. She was better off without him.

He ran. ~~like a coward.~~

–

Alfred found him in passing months later, outside of ‘work’.

“Master Jason, I believe she’s looking for you.”

“She’s better off without me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Just as you were when you went looking for her?”

He didn’t say anything—what could he say?

~~He knew she wasn’t better off without him as the person he was before the Pits. But after? After she was so much better off.~~

He ran again.

~~Like a coward.~~

When he made it to his hideout he froze when he realized none of his teammates were there, but he could hear movement in the kitchen.

“Tikki, this is completely necessary!” It--it couldn't be...

“Marinette, I still don’t see how any of this will help with Hawkmoth.”

“I, he’s my brother, and I can’t, I can’t keep doing this without help," her voice broke. It gutted him.

He froze. His sister needed help? With what?

“You have me and Chat, I don’t see how bringing in someone else would do any good.”

His sister has a team. And who the hell is this French cat she’s working with?

“Everyone else was outted during the last battle. And Master is…” he heard the movement stop.

Her team was severely screwed over then. He could see from the glass she dropped a spoon. Stirring something. She was cooking? Baking? And oh god, that didn’t look right, her hunching over that far and no. That was a broken Todd move and he refused to let her join those ranks.

A red dot moved to her shoulder, speaking some language he didn’t know He did catch. “Marinette” and “Ladybug”. And that, that sounded suspiciously familiar. He’d look into it later…

“I, I know but I can’t keep looking on my own and we both know Chat’s civilian life makes it almost impossible for him to get away unless there’s an attack, and I can’t take down Hawkmoth on my own.”

He was done waiting. His sister has an enemy, a fairly worthless ally, some master that something bad happened to, an outed team and she shouldn't. Shouldn't have that. Any of it.

“Pixie.”

“Jason!” She spun around, her eyes were—god she’d been crying. She was wringing her hands then. “I, surprise?”

He got close enough to see what she was making. It looked like their old version of ‘sink sundaes’ on a cookie from when Mom was having a good say and splurged.

He had a million questions to ask but the first one that he asked was “When the hell did you get glasses?”

Great job, you completely avoided the real question, he berated himself.

“Oh, this,” Marinette touched them. “I, uh, needed to find you and uh, maybe we can sit down and I can explain?”

One long winded explanation later and he saw his sister tuck her hair behind her ear, her nervous tell.

“So, um, I know you’re busy taking down dealers and monsters here and Gotham needs all the help it can get, but… do you think you could take a break to help me take down a magic terrorist?”

“And leave you alone to take on being a magic zookeeper—”

“HEY!” the red dot flew into his face. He batted it away.

“–And play detective when we both know you suck as every who-dun-it game?”

Marinette gave a sheepish smile.

“Of fucking course I’m going. Shit, I’ll have to message B and…”

Not even an hour later Jason had Marinette on a video call while eating sink Sundays on skillet cookies.

“Hey B, what the hell does the League have on Hawkmoth and Miraculous?”

Batman stared at Jason and Mary Todd. Eating ice cream and cookies. On his batcomputer.

“…who?”

“You failed me B, really.”

Marinette decided a small victory dance was in order, as _she knew it_. “Told you, the order was almost extinct for two centuries. No way Batman or the League would know about them.”

That was a challenge. But also…

“Mary, why are you on this call?”

Marinette straightened up then. “Uh, Ladybug for this. One of two active Heroes of Paris, currently the only Guardian of the Miraculous living and able to remember them, and stealing my brother for ‘ending a reign of terror’ purposes.”

Batman twitched. He hadn’t even incorporated her into either of his identity’s lives and she was more involved than any of his kids had been at her age.

“Pay up peasants.”

Batman turned to see his other two sons swearing while handing Damian a large amount of cash. “I told you if Todd did have a sister, she would already be involved as Todd was before Father took him in.”


	2. Daminette Bonus Round

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> was bored and needed fluff to fix the angst.

Mary pointed at Damian on the batcomputer screen. “That’s the one you call demon spawn, right?”

Damian looked at the batcomputer then, and stood up a bit straighter and—oh no. Bruce knew that look in his eyes from his own face enough times. Even if Damian’s was scowling.

“Todd, must you?”

“I must. Now, I’m going to going back with my sister, staying with her parents, and won’t be available as we will be knee deep in magic and investigations.”

“And baking,” Marinette piped up, “Maman and Papa will drag you into learning some part of the family business, and no one interrupts a bread rise without severe consequences.”

“Noted.” Bruce really hated this. And how Mary is clearly giving him judgmental looks. 

“What kind of threat is this Hawkmoth?” Damian asked, and no. His son was not going to do this to him.

“He basically brainwashes you with magic into transforming into something with whatever made you really, really upset. I can undo the damage and you don’t remember being brainwashed and all but…”

“And you’re taking Todd?” Damian scoffed. “Father, I will join them to ensure that if he falls to this brainwashing, someone can take him out.”

"Fuck you Demon Spawn."

Bruce did not like where this was going.

Jason narrowed his eyes at Damian.

“I can go as a civilian and be covert if you’d prefer.” Damian was... intent on something. And he was hoping it was not his most wayward son's sister. It would complicate things. 

“I, sure." Damn the girl for accepting. "I could use someone to cover during my classes when I have to leave since they’ve been hovering a lot more lately.”

“Excellent. We can discuss cover stories at a later point in time. For now, I have other business to attend to.”

Bruce would later learn said business was arguing with Jon over if it was ethical to propose faking a relationship to maintain a cover as civilians, or if him ‘reconnecting’ with a shared relative was better. And debating his outfits for Paris.

* * *

Apparently it didn’t have to be either covers as by the time the paperwork for Damian’s transfer was through, Jason and Damian had returned to Marinette’s suspect, Gabriel Agreste.

Jason’s camera caught a corrupted butterfly escaping the home. Then another. And another.

Damian was… sulking? Bruce didn’t even know.

He did know that Damian took the zetatubes without asking though.

And would later notice his son's Robin uniform was missing.

* * *

Damian was nothing but professional with Marinette was Robin and Ladybug. He knew they were only allies ~~for now~~ and that she needed to get her city under control before even thinking about romantic endeavors. He was fine with this--he knew how to wait for when someone was ready. 

That did not mean he wouldn't be a bit rougher than needed with Mayura while working with a shaken Chat Noir or that he wouldn't eye said hero after the final battle.

Even if Marinette claimed she didn't see Chat that way, Damian was certain the cat must feel the way he does for Marinette.

* * *

Later Bruce would watch Hal be torn a new one not by Wonder Woman but Red Hood and Robin while Ladybug was… fangirling? Fangirling, over Diana’s mother and her accomplishments as a Ladybug.

And if Chat Noir was a little sullen until his teammate mentioned a former cat on Themyscira and was then alert and curious and oh god he could not, under any circumstances, allow him to meet Catwoman.

It turned out they were both terrified of the woman on the principle of magic jewelry and jewel thief. He’d take small mercies.

* * *

Damian was not gloating when Marinette agreed to start dating him months after Paris was settled.

He was not insulted by the former Black Cat, Adrien Agreste, monopolizing his girlfriend's time while dealing with the media trying to pin blame on him. No, that time he took his role as Marinette's boyfriend very seriously as Marinette saw the boy much like he saw any stray cat. Someone in need of care that he could provide.

And if said cat told him if he hurt his new girlfriend, he would be dead. Well, he'd let the cat get a good shot in first at least. But he was certain Marinette would do the job herself, or let Todd do it.

Who Marinette was convinced would kill Damian if he knew. So the pair agreed to let everyone think they were just friends in the realm of social media.

And if he was threatened by all but one classmate (who's life he ruined for hurting Marinette before he met her) well. He'd accept that. 

He still got to take her out to restaurants alone, watch her eyes light up as she sorted plans to take down various drug rings and cartels by Todd's side, and hold her when either of their nightmares was too much. He knew she loved him and wanted him to stay safe--she even altered his Robin suit for that and made him a robin blanket. 

He knows she loves him from how she leans into him when he knew how skittish she was. When he knew how hard it was for either of them to trust easy.

He also knows that she is convinced Todd would kill him for dating her.

He finds this ridiculous.

Todd would have to keep him in sight to do that.

* * *

Bruce decided there were no mercies, only trade offs in his misery when his sons brought Marinette over one day. This time without Adrien or Kagami. That should have been his first clue that things were going to go wrong.

His second should have been Damian having that look in his eye when Marinette was babbling about a new recipe to Alfred while Jason grabbed a movie for family bonding night.

Damian held Marinette’s hand--Burce would like to know when _that_ happened.

And proceded to peck her on the cheek while murmuring something Bruce missed because he could feel murderous intent from behind him.

Damian kissed Mary Todd in front of Jason.

Bruce groaned when Jason began to chase Damian, jason swearing up and down he was dead meat. Damian who used Dick as a (willing?) human shield and spilled Tim’s coffee, adding him to the chase in the manor.

And ruining family bonding night before the girls arrived.

Alfred gave Marinette a cookie. “I see Master Damian decided to announce your relationship.”

They heard gun shots.

She was a bit red and looked a touch flighty. “I thought we’d be telling him once we were away from easy access weapons.”

“It seems Master Damian grew impatient.”

Marinette blushed, tucking her hair behind her ear and tapping her earrings. "Tikki..."

"Don't worry Marinette," the red blob said. "I'll make sure he doesn't die!"

"Tikki!"

"If you wanted him to stay completely safe, you should have brought Wayzz."

"Tikki!" Marinette said louder this time.

"Oh, fine. I'll help him, but if he hurt you..."

"Why am I getting his shovel talk?" Marinette asked no one in particular as Tikki flew off.

Bruce needed a drink.


	3. As it was requested, why not?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff for you all, on the 'how they got together' part.

Damian was... unsure of how to respond when he first began working from Marinette's notes. He knew she was precise, through and clearly knowledgeable in her reports. Very much not like how he imagined Todd's supposed sister when he heard of her in passing during his days in the League.

He was not expecting her to, to mother him from another country--sicking Alfred on him twice for not getting enough sleep. 

He had no idea how to process her commenting on changing his uniform's fabric as "the extra weight will only make it harder" and to sent him a list of alternatives with pros and cons, all itemized with her notes on what she thought would and would not work as well--including the possibility of skin sensitivity and allergies. 

He may have messaged Jon for help when that began...

"What do you make of this?" He asked once while waiting for his friend to make the verdict of whether or not this girl saw him as a simple ally, or not.

"Well, she's clearly really organized--are you sure she isn't Tim's sister?"

"She has no relation to Drake."

"Just checking." his friend hummed as he went over the notes. "I need to check with grandma, but I'm pretty sure this is a 'I care about you're well being but think you'd bite my head off if I made this for you' thing."

"What!"

Jon rolled his eyes. "She cares about you in some way, and wants you to be safe while doing your thing."

That... made sense. It also put her previous pestering about his health into a better light.

Especially when he looked further into her old file and discovered she was the caretaker of whatever group of street kids she and Todd found themselves staying with. Well versed in keeping people alive in dangerous situations, and willing to share that information freely. That meant she was genuinely kind...

He had no clue what to do with that besides wait to meet her in person.

His sessions with her were often monitored by Todd. And if she got him to laugh once or twice when Todd wasn't paying attention--she found footage of a few takedowns from before Todd rejoined her--well. She did managed to get the drop on a gang and took them out with a laser pointer and a fishing net. Was he not supposed to find that amusing?

He also learned she was good at cooking, and had taken an interest in Middle Eastern foods recently. ~~If what he'd read of those 'love languages' was correct, this was her showing an interest in him and preparing to gift future shows of affection.~~

He froze when she told him of the final battle having been moved up--that Chat wasn't doing so well since they knew who Hawkmoth was and informed him. He was off and she was scared and was readjusting her plans but couldn't think straight while Jason was trying to get his guns ready and she can't bother him and Chat isn't okay and--

He grabbed his uniform, took the zetatubes and invaded her home from the balcony.

She was shaking as her mind whirled. He was... bad at comfort. But he did know of the 'weighted blanket' calming thing, and put his cape on her while waiting for her to mirror his breathing.

He knew she was brilliant, and nervous and a survivor. She needed a thing to take care of in front of her to calm down completely--part of her desire for a pet, he supposed.

He didn't argue with her when she began berating him for not telling his team and began firing off emails for him. He didn't get angry with her when she came up later with lentil soup and tabbouleh for him while she munched on a few cookies and rewrote the plan with him as a player.

He did ignore Todd's raised eyebrow at his appearance while Marinette refined her plan, and demanded he take on a miraculous.

Somehow he was given with the bee and dragon miraculous. He decided while the bee's power was very useful for detaining this 'Mayura', the multiple uses for the dragon was more his style. Marinette donned the mouse and ladybug for the battle, something about getting the drop on Hawkmoth while coordinating their efforts. Todd only accepted the bull after being pressed, while Marinette held the snake close, whispering that Chat might need the extra help.

He made sure to stick to her plan, seeing as she needed to remain calm, and him sticking with this Chat Noir while confronting this 'Mayura' seemed to do the trick. He found it odd to be using magic in battle, but not unpleasant. He did envy Todd's brass knuckles, but he was able to fly about faster with the bee's spinning top, and the sword was a nice touch.

He made sure to cover the cat, Chat, and handled most of the interaction with the peacock user. A user who seemed intent on further fraying the other's state. From what he knew of the cat, he was uncharacteristically out of it and solemn. If it angered him enough to be rougher than necessary--to know that this person tormented the pair for years and was now doing worse--well, no one said anything to him about it.

He made sure to stick with the pair as 'Mousebug' made her announcement of the defeat. And her statement ended with "and had it not been for the cooperation of Adrien Agreste, we would not have discovered his abusive father's and the man's assistant's crimes against Paris."

He noted that she kept Chat close and let him break against her once they were out of sight.

He gave them a few hours before overhearing Hippolyta was a former Ladybug with Hercules as her Black Cat. That gave him an idea on how to distract them. Then he overheard that they were dismissed by Green Lantern in the beginning. He suggested going to the Watch Tower immediately as part of their victory while messaging Todd they were spilling Hal's blood for ignoring Paris. If ~~his~~ Marinette chose to off with Wonder Woman and Chat to Themyscera, well, he wouldn't stop them.

If he was a bit more violent than needed with a few crooks during the time they were away, not even Todd mentioned it. Probably because he was acting the same way.

He gave her time to focus on the Cat--Adrien Agreste--given the situation. He may have moved to Paris during this time as a transfer student at Marinette's school, and may have become a member of Adrien's so-called protection squad while the boy processed his father's deeds and lost everything.

Damian was the one to suggest Adrien joining the Wayne family as Marinette was already a Wayne adjacent, and he doubted his father would mind. He may have also threatened Bruce a few times over this--not that his father was opposed, more surprised than anything else.

Jon laughed at him for following in the Proud Wayne Tradition of taking in abused children--even though this was clearly a case of a comrade in need and what kind of ally was he if he left the boy alone? There were people out for his blood, a system that clearly wanted revenge against the boy for things out of his control and yes, it was also upsetting him on principle. The fact that it also served as a strange incentive for Marinette to move to Gotham with them didn't cross his mind until she mentioned she was packing her things and asked if she thought she should bring her dress form to the manor or Jason's place.

He almost laughed when Adrien threatened him before they left, saying he would kill him if he hurt Marinette.

"I'll let you get the first shot in, but I have no intention of harming her in any way. If I do, you may strike. However, that is if Marinette and Todd don't finish the job before you."

Instead of getting angry, this relaxed the other. "You're really not going to hurt her, huh?"

He made it his personal mission not to.

If that meant learning how to cook and paying extra attention to her favorite dishes and the parts she discarded, he did and improved the recipes to her taste as he'd seen her do for him. He checked on her sleep schedule and if he grew a second sense for when she was having a bad day or noticed signs when her nightmares would return with a vengeance long before they started dating, and if that meant he would demand a certain Cat and the other dragon--Kagami--make their presence known and watch over her as she was still skittish with him... 

Only the couple and Jon knew it was him doing these things.

And if he asked for her opinion on a few of his own plans, well, he wasn't opposed to watching her light up and go over a number of convoluted ways to throw off opponents. Or stop her from clicking her tongue at his 'too heavy' Robin wear--until she stole it to make him a lighter one. That he did protest with the Bee backing him up on needing to ask before stealing his armor.

And if she walked in on him during one of his practice ask-her-outs with Jon eating popcorn as-- "I'm convinced that no one else will ever be as amusing and awkward."

well...

"Grandfather and Mother always said it is best to make your intentions clear, therefore, I would like to ask your permission to court you, what is wrong with that?"

"There is no way any girl will put together you're asking her out for real, best bug or not, Marinette seems a bit on the dense side according to Adrien and 'gami."

"She is not dense."

"This is what, seventh time asking her out?"

"Subtleties were, admittedly, not effective. Especially since the other two forgot to tell her it was double date and not a 'hang out' "

"I, Damian?"

He his face was flushed. "Yes."

"Yes. Walk-Titus date tomorrow?"

He forgot how to function as he nodded and Jon howled in the background. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, closer up on how Damian and Marinette got together, from his POV, with a bit more detailing.


End file.
